Battle Scars
by TwilightWorshipper14
Summary: FULL SUMMARY INSIDE!Pazia has grown up in Erudite. That is where her father is...that is where her past is. But that doesn't matter, what matters is where her future is. Pazia thought for sure, 100% she was going to stay in Erudite...her aptitude test told her differently. Then she has to choose. Will she stay? Will she leave?
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **Pazia has grown up in Erudite. That is where her father is...that is where her past is. But that doesn't matter, what matters is where her future is. Pazia thought for sure, 100% she was going to stay in Erudite...her aptitude test told her differently. Then she has to choose. Will she stay? Will she leave? Erudite is cold and clinical and Dauntless? Well, the only way to describe Dauntless is wild and fierce, like a raging fire that cannot be stopped. Pazia made her choice, and now she has left the ice and jumped straight into the fire. The only thing now to do...is be free.

A/N: All outfits are on my profile.

A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own the Divergent world. I only own Pazia. (Pronounced: Pah-ze-ah.)

_Rating:_ M

_Word__ Count:_ 2,071

Reviews are always appreciated!

**Chapter One**

* * *

I take a deep breath and smooth down my royal blue pencil skirt as I stare at myself in the mirror. I run my eyes over my deep, dark blue eyes, my straight nose, my average lips and focus on my midnight black hair. It is such a dark black, like ink. On good days it will be silky and in the light a blue sheen emerges. On a bad day...well we all have those days. I doubt I need to say anymore.

Today is the day. I have to go take my aptitude test. Right now I belong to the Erudite faction, but this test is designed to see if I will stay here. I nod at my reflection and notice my hair doesn't budge from the professionally done sophisticated up-do. I did it myself. When I was 5, my mother died. I didn't have anyone to teach me so I taught myself.

I turn and leave. I go downstairs and my father is sitting in a chair reading a book. He barely glances up at me before his attention is once again captured by what he is reading. I don't let it bother me. Why should I? This is the normal for Erudite. I get a plate of pancakes and sit down. I reach into my bag and pull out a book of my own.

I finish my food and grab my bag. I head to the door but my father's voice stops me.

"Good luck today, Pazia." He reaches out to hug me but I cannot hide my flinch. He slowly pulls back, a hurt look on his face. My father has a horrible personality when he gets tired after researching all the time.

Sometimes he takes his anger out on me. He always apologizes after but I can't let myself believe him. One time is all it took for me to loose all of my trust for him. As a result, I don't have much trust for anyone else.

If you cannot trust the person that takes care of you, how are you to trust anyone else? I give my father a nod before I turn and leave. I keep a calm look on my face but on the inside I am raging and crying. In Erudite, emotions are frowned on.

I had to learn how to be strong. Even more so when my best friend left. He is a year older than me. He used to be in Amity before he transferred to Dauntless last year.

Jethro was my best and only friend. I called him Jett. A part of me wonders if he even remembers me. I haven't seen him since he was racing out the door with the other Dauntless. I robotically climb onto the bus as I remember Jett.

He was tall and when we were younger I called him Bean Pole. He hated it. He had black hair and eyes so dark they were almost black. I miss him so much sometimes.

I have thought about going to Dauntless just so I could see him again, but I know that I belong in Erudite. I am smart and detached from the world. I am no Amity. I don't believe in peace and I am not very happy go lucky.

I can be selfless but often times I look at the world as a give and take world. Unfortunately there are more that take than give, myself being one of them. I could go to Candor. Or maybe not.

I don't talk a lot and when I do it is usually to lie. (How are you doing? - Perfectly fine, thank you.) If I started telling the truth I don't think very many people would like me.

That leaves Dauntless. The dauntless are wild, fierce and have a 'fuck with me and I fuck with you,' attitude that I cannot help but admire. They are loud, crazy and loyal to one another. They remind me of Amity in an ironic way.

Amity is all about loving and loyalty. Dauntless is about doing what you want. I can see the similarities between the two. It reminds me of the yin-yang symbol. The black symbolizing the Yin energy, while the white symbolizes the Yang energy.

Yin is the passive energy of silence, slow and relaxed movements, and deep darkness, and is the predominant energy of sleep, resting, relaxing and replenishing.

Yang is the active energy and is symbolized by bright lights, strong sounds and bright colors. It is the prominent energy for such times as working in a busy office or enjoying a good party.

They are the opposite sides of the same coin. Amity brings peace through love and Dauntless brings peace through violence. The contrast has fascinated me ever since I was a little girl.

"Excuse me?" I look up to see an Abnegation girl standing in front of me.

"Yes?" I ask, forcing my voice to come off as confident.

"Are you going to have your aptitude test today?" I look sharply at her. Abnegation is not for the curious.

"I am, and I am guessing you still have a year or two to go. If you want my advice, stifle your curiosity until you are able to get out of Abnegation. Or just learn how to hide it better." She stares at me bewildered and I raise an eyebrow. She flushes and holds out her hand.

"My name is Beatrice, what's yours?" I look at her hand before slowly grasping it.

"Pazia, good luck on keeping your secret a secret." She smiles and waves as I get off of the bus and walk briskly into the Hub. I join the other 16 year-olds that are waiting for their tests. It turns out I got here early so I pull out a book and start to read. I occasionally make notes. I get so drawn into my book, I jump when my name is called.

"Pazia Reynolds?" A Candor lady calls for me. I hastily put away my book and rush into the room. I slow down when I reach it.

The walls are lined with mirrors and I glance at my reflection before moving to the large metal chair in the center of the room. I sit in it and lay back, shivering a little as the cool metal bites into my skin. She attaches the nodes to my head and hands me a small glass with blue liquid in it.

I look at it before I take it and swallow it in one gulp. The Candor lady takes the glass from me with an amused look on her face.

"You look like you have had practice." I don't bother to answer her remark about my skill in drinking. I just close my eyes and wait for the test to begin. I wait and wait before I open my eyes, frustrated. I have a hard time controlling my shock.

The Candor lady is gone. Instead, there is two bowls. In one bowl, there is berries that I recognize as poison nightshade and in the other is a first aid kit.

I look at the two unable to decide which one to pick. I reach out and pick up both at the same time. The room melts away and I am in an infirmary. I hate these rooms, they always creep me out. I walk down the hall and all the doors fade until one remains. I reach out to open it and notice my hand is trembling. I clench it into a fist and when I open the door, there is no more tremors.

Inside, there is an injured lady laying in bed. Now I understand why I have the first aid kit. I walk over to her and she opens her eyes.

"Where am I? Is he okay?" I sit down beside her.

"Is who okay?" I ask calmly and she pales.

"My son. He...fell down and got hurt." My heart hardens and ice spreads through my veins. That was always the excuse my father used when he lost control and hurt me. I look at the berries but my Erudite brain tells me to get the whole story first. I start to bandage her ask I ask her about her son.

"How old is he?" She flinches.

"He is 5." I freeze. I was 5 the day I lost my mother, that was also the day father finally lost control. I force myself to keep working. I need the whole story.

"So what happened to him to cause him to fall." The lady's lips wobble and a tear rolls down her face.

"I didn't mean to!" She cries out. "He wasn't supposed to fall down the stairs!" She bursts out crying and I shut my feelings down.

"It's okay." I smile comfortingly at her and she sniffles. I crush the berries and mix them with a cup of water. The water turns a bright red and I hand it to her.

"What is this?" She asks.

"It will help with the pain." I tell her and she nods.

"Thank you." I watch coldly as she swallows the poison and chokes. Foam fizzes at her mouth and a look of betrayal fixes itself on her face before the room fades away. I stand up.

I am in wheat field. Once again there is two bowls. In one bowl is a bow and arrow, in the other is a paper. I pick up both again. The second I do, a giant boar burst out of the field and charges toward me. I look at the paper and read the words.

"I am not an enemy, I am a friend." The boar calms down and snuffles at me. I smile gently before raising my bow and shooting it. It collapses with a grunt and the room fades.

I am outside and there is a factionless standing in front of me. He reaches out pleadingly.

"Do you have any food for me? Please. My family and I haven't eaten in two days." I shake my head, the bag on my shoulder giving lie to my gesture. Somehow I know the bag is filled with food but I get a horrible feeling when the man asks me for the food.

"Please!" He calls out. "Can you tell me where to get food?" I hesitate, wanting to tell but a bad feeling makes me shake my head and walk away.

* * *

When I open my eyes, the Candor lady is gone and instead there is an Abnegation lady. She smiles softly at me and unhooks the nodes from my head.

"Congratulations. You are Dauntless." I stare at her with shock.

"Are you sure?" My voice cracks and I clear it. "I am not Erudite?" I ask, fear and (strangely) hope blooming in my chest. She pauses, a strange look on her face.

"The aptitude test never lies." She murmurs and sends me out the door. I leave in a daze. I tune out the Amity kids playing games, the Dauntless hooting and hollering, the Erudite reading, the Candor debating and the Abnegation just sitting.

I walk out the door and the air wakes me up. Slowly a smile spreads across my face. I can go to Dauntless. I don't have to live in fear of my father. That means I can finally be free!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: **Pazia has grown up in Erudite. That is where her father is...that is where her past is. But that doesn't matter, what matters is where her future is. Pazia thought for sure, 100% she was going to stay in Erudite...her aptitude test told her differently. Then she has to choose. Will she stay? Will she leave? Erudite is cold and clinical and Dauntless? Well, the only way to describe Dauntless is wild and fierce, like a raging fire that cannot be stopped. Pazia made her choice, and now she has left the ice and jumped straight into the fire. The only thing now to do...is be free.

A/N: All outfits are on my profile. This story is set after Four and Eric became Dauntless but the year before Tris became Dauntless.

A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own the Divergent world. I only own Pazia. (Pronounced: Pah-ze-ah.)

_Rating:_ M

_Word__ Count:_ 2,130

Reviews are always appreciated!

**Chapter Two**

* * *

I walk into the Hub and take a seat beside where my father will sit in the Erudite section. I look around for him before shaking my head and turning to the front. This year an Amity leader is giving the speech. For as long as I can remember the speech has always been the same.

"Welcome, " he says. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in this world. Our dependents are now sixteen. They stand on the precipice of adulthood, and it is now up to them to decide what kind of people they will be. Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality—of humankind's inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. "

I have to suppress my urge to roll my eyes.

"They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world's disarray. Those who blamed aggression formed Amity. Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite. Those who blamed duplicity created Candor. Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation. And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless. Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation has fulfilled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided us with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and re searchers; Amity has given us understanding counselors and caretakers; and Daunt less provides us with protection from threats both within and without. But the reach of each faction is not limited to these areas. We give one another far more than can be adequately summarized. In our factions, we find meaning, we find purpose, we find life. Apart from them, we would not survive. Therefore this day marks a happy occasion—the day on which we receive our new initiates, who will work with us toward a better society and a better world."

I numbly get up to join the other initiates as he finishes his speech. We get called up in alphabetical order. There are a lot of us.

"Smith, Abigail." I allow myself to tune out as they file up there one by one. Until-

"Reynolds, Pazia." I roll my eyes as he pronounces my name Pay-zia instead of Pah-zia. He hands me a silver knife and and stare down at it. I will have slice my palm. I do so with a slight hiss of pain before I turn to the bowls.

There is a bowl with soft, rich looking soil that is for Amity. I shake my head and move on. There is a bowl of glass for Candor. I don't bother shaking my head. The bowl for holds grey rocks. I turn to the last two bowls. The bowl for Erudite holds clear water and the bowl for Dauntless holds fiery coals. Behind me a door slams open and I turn around.

It is my father. His gaze is pleading and it is what pushes me over the edge. With a defiant glare, I thrust my hand over the coals and a look of defeat crosses his face. His whole body sags and I feel light.

I hand the knife back before dismissing my father from my gaze. I walk over to the Dauntless faction and they greet me with cheers and hollers and I feel a smile spreading across my face. I sit down and wait for the rest of the initiates to choose where they go. I zone out and startle as the Dauntless start moving. I hastily get up and follow them. They speed up and start racing each other down the stairs.

I go to a small side room and quickly slip on an Abnegation dress. It is loose and flowing. I head down the hall and take a short cut. I burst out the door at the same time the rest of them do. I whoop with breathless exhilaration as we race to the train tracks. I pause for a moment as the Dauntless swing up effortlessly. With a grin, I follow. I stand and feel the vibration of the train under my feet.

They start to run and I run too. The train roars past me and I falter before running faster than before. I blank my mind and jump. I grab the bar and pull myself into the train. As the group inside turns to face me, I notice they are all born Dauntless. A tall guy with blonde and blue hair pushes his way forward.

"I thought we only got one Stiff?" I nod stiffly and raise my skirt. Underneath are my Erudite clothes and a small bag.

"You did." There is a pause before he grins and holds out his hand.

"Brave, very brave. My name is Alezander." I take it.

"My name is Pazia." I sit down and lean against the door. Alezander sits down beside me.

"I'm Josh." Another guy with purple and brown hair with green eyes introduces himself.

"I'm Sasha." A girl with pink streaks in her hair introduces herself.

"Izzy." I nod at the blonde and black head girl.

"And last, I am Dean." I smile at the green and black headed guy.

"Nice to meet you guys." Izzy snorts and I look at her. She smiles.

"Not to be mean or anything, but you are too polite. You are gonna stick out like a sore thumb. I roll my eyes.

"I would stick out like a sore thumb anyways. What's it to you?" I snap rudely before smiling. "How was that? Better or still too polite?" She laughs and shakes her head.

"Nope, it was great. I think you just might fit in." I clutch my chest.

"Oh, no! A compliment from a Dauntless?!" I pretend to fall over and they all snicker.

"So why'd you transfer out?" Alezander asks and my face hardens.

"Does it matter?" I ask coldly.

"Yeah." Sasha meets my gaze head on and I nod slowly.

"Alright. You know those articles that are printed about Marcus abusing his son?" They share bewildered glances.

"Yeah, so?" Josh asks. I look down.

"Well, he wasn't the only one." I pull up my shirt and lift my Erudite jacket. A scar starts on my ribs and is about 8 inches long. There is a horrified silence as I drop my shirt. I smile sadly. "I already have my battle scars." They exchange glances and I huff. "I don't want your pity." I snap. "What I want is empathy and I can't get that here, then all I want is for you guys to fuck off!" I snarl and that does it.

They give me looks of respect before moving on to a different subject.

"So, who wants to make a deal?" Dean asks. I look at him with curiosity.

"What kind of deal?" I ask.

"Yeah, spill man." Alezander says. Dean grins and looks at all of us.

"Let's make it a goal for the 5 of us to make it to the end. We protect each other, help each other and then after we are officially Dauntless, we come into this train car and ride it together. Who's with me?" He holds out his fist and they slap it with their hands. They turn and look at me. I hesitate. It is hard for me to trust but that was then and this is now. Determined, I slap his fist too.

"I have to warn you guys, I don't know how much help to you I am going to be." Alezander smirks and shakes his head, tossing an arm over my shoulder.

"We will still help you. Agreed?" He looks around and they all nod in agreement. I smile and settle down as we ride the train.

* * *

"Alright! We are close!" Josh shout and we all get up. He slaps the panel and the train door slides open. Ahead, I can see a building. A fain smile curls on my lips.

"Let me guess, we have to jump off the train." I state dryly and they snicker.

"Don't worry, I will go first." Alezander tells me and I nod.

"Let's do a 3 person jump off." Josh says with a grin and I look at him confused.

"What's that?"

"That is where 3 of us hold hands and jump off at the same time." My eyes widen and an unbidden smile crosses my lips. My laugh is torn away from me by the wind. I grab Josh's hand and Dean's.

"What about me?" Alezander asks. I shrug.

"You said you would go first." I smirk as he huffs and Izzy laughs. The building comes up and Zander takes a flying leap. Seconds later, Josh, Dean and I jump. I whoop before colliding with Zander as we fall to the ground.

"Oops." I roll over and smile at the laughter and heckleing the others are giving him.

"Oops?" He asks incredulously, holding out a hand for me. "I think you broke my freakin' rib!" I snicker at him before adopting an innocent look.

"If it makes you feel any better, I am not hurt at all." Izzy, Sasha, Josh, Dean and I break out laughing at his offended face. He shakes his head as we walk over to the rest of the group but I can tell he isn't really angry.

An older man is standing on the ledge. He is tall and has dark skin.

"Alright! Listen up, initiates!" He points over the side of the building. "Several stories below us is the members' entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to j ump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first."

"Holy shit." I mutter with shock and Sasha snickers.

"There must be something at the bottom?" A Candor boy calls in disbelief. The man gives him a disdainful glance.

"Are you volenteering to jump first?" The boy pales and backs away. I bite my lip and raise my head. I can do this. I walk forward and step up on the ledge. I close my eyes and step off. I fall faster and faster and a whoop of pure exhilaration is torn out of me. I hit something that molds itself around me. It is a net. I laugh and roll off the side.

"That was awesome! When can I do it again?" I ask bouncing on the heels of my feet. A guy looks faintly amused. He has short brown hair and deep blue eyes.

"What is your name?" He asks. I open my mouth.

"Paz-" I hesitate before nodding firmly. "My name is Paz." The guys looks at me before turning and shouting: "First Jumper - Paz!" There is cheering and whooping and breathless, I walk to the side. The next jumper is Zander.

"Four." He nods at the guy before grinning at me.

"How's it going, little 'Zia?" He asks and tosses an arm over my shoulder. I roll my eyes and nudge him with my shoulder.

"I'm fine, Second Jumper Zander." He barks out a laugh and we watch the next jumper. It is Sasha.

"Sup guys?" I laugh and bump fists with her.

"I am finally doing just perfect!" I grin.

"Welcome to Dauntless!" Zander says grandly and I laugh, finally feeling weightless and free.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary: **Pazia has grown up in Erudite. That is where her father is...that is where her past is. But that doesn't matter, what matters is where her future is. Pazia thought for sure, 100% she was going to stay in Erudite...her aptitude test told her differently. Then she has to choose. Will she stay? Will she leave? Erudite is cold and clinical and Dauntless? Well, the only way to describe Dauntless is wild and fierce, like a raging fire that cannot be stopped. Pazia made her choice, and now she has left the ice and jumped straight into the fire. The only thing now to do...is be free.

A/N: All outfits are on my profile. This story is set after Four and Eric became Dauntless but the year before Tris became Dauntless.

A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own the Divergent world. I only own Pazia. (Pronounced: Pah-ze-ah.)

**_Rating:_** M

**_Word_**_** Count:** 2,223_

Reviews are always appreciated!

I would just like to send a thank you to my newest follower(s)/fav(s): insolitasum, Beppa, and Ashes2Dust18! My first three followers! You guys make me happy when you fave and follow my story!

(Also, I should note, insolitasum was my first review! Keep them coming guys!)

**Chapter Three**

* * *

_**Previously on Battle Scars:**_

_I walk forward and step up on the ledge. I close my eyes and step off. I fall faster and faster and a whoop of pure exhilaration is torn out of me. I hit something that molds itself around me. It is a net. I laugh and roll off the side._

_"That was awesome! When can I do it again?" I ask bouncing on the heels of my feet. A guy looks faintly amused. He has short brown hair and deep blue eyes._

_"What is your name?" He asks. I open my mouth._

_"Paz-" I hesitate before nodding firmly. "My name is Paz." The guys looks at me before turning and shouting: "First Jumper - Paz!" There is cheering and whooping and breathless, I walk to the side. The next jumper is Zander._

_"Four." He nods at the guy before grinning at me._

_"How's it going, little 'Zia?" He asks and tosses an arm over my shoulder. I roll my eyes and nudge him with my shoulder._

_"I'm fine, Second Jumper Zander." He barks out a laugh and we watch the next jumper. It is Sasha._

_"Sup guys?" I laugh and bump fists with her._

_"I am finally doing just perfect!" I grin._

_"Welcome to Dauntless!" Zander says grandly and I laugh, finally feeling weightless and free._

* * *

After all of us had jumped, Four walks over to us. He has someone with him. He has blonde hair, blue-grey eyes, piercings, tattoos on his neck and arms. His arms are huge, only emphasized by the way his arms are crossed.

"Alright, I want all of you to listen up." Four says, his stance clearly telling us not to fuck with him. "I am Four, your new instructor. This is Eric. He is on of our Dauntless leaders. He will be overseeing as you are getting trained." A lady joines us. "This is Lauren, she will be training the Dauntless-born initiates. Those of you that are Dauntless-born, report to Lauren now. She will take you to your quarters. The rest of you follow us."

I frown and look at Zander, Izzy, Josh, Dean and Sasha. They look a little let down, too. I roll my eyes.

"We should have guessed something like this would happen, right guys?" I tell them and Zander shrugs.

"We still keep our pledge right?" He asks.

"Hell yeah!" Sasha exclaims. I laugh and hug her.

"See you guys soon." I wave as I join the other transfer initiates. I meet Eric's cold gaze as I walk back but refuse to be cowed. His gaze sharpens but I turn back to Four as he leads us down a dark path.

In Erudite, everything is bright and open and structured. Here in Dauntless, it is the opposite. It is dark and unpredictable. The tunnels are roughly hewn and the (dimly lit) lamps are spaced farther than they should be. It's more than a little creepy.

We stop in front of a pair of huge double doors and Four and Eric turn back to us.

"Alright, initiates. Beyond these double doors, is a place called the Pit. The Pit is our Hub. We come here e to eat, party, converse, you get the general idea."

Eric turns and pushes a the big doors open and we file in behind him. Some how, I managed to get pushed behind Eric and I am close enough my nose is almost touching his shirt. I can smell smoke, a rusty metal and a spicy scent that makes my stomach tingle.

I blink as I realize my body's reaction to Eric's scent. I flush a little before focusing on the room I am in. The Pit is rock walls rise several stories above my head. Built into the stone walls are places for food, clothing, supplies, leisure activities. Narrow paths and steps carved from rock connect them.

I can't help but notice there are no barriers to keep people from falling over the side. A slant of orange light stretches across one of the rock walls. Forming the roof of the Pit are panes of glass and, above them, a building that lets in sunlight.

It must have looked like just another city building when we passed it on the train. Blue lanterns dangle at random intervals above the stone paths, similar to the ones that lit the Choosing room. They grow brighter as the sunlight dies. People are everywhere, all dressed in black, all shouting an d talking, expressive, gesturing. I don't see any elderly people in the crowd.

I wonder if there is separate area's for them or if they just get thrown out when they can no longer contribute anything anymore. I snap out of it and follow as we make a right down another dark tunnel. As we are walking, I notice the air is getting humid and there is a loud roaring noise. The closer we get to where we are going, the louder the noise is.

As we follow Four and Eric, I look at the transfers around me. There is a surprisingly large amount of us. There is 11 of us that transferred out of our old factions. There are 3 Candors. Two girls one guy. The guy has black hair and green eyes, is tall and has a blank look on his face. One of the girls has brown hair and brown eyes (she is small) and the other has blond hair and brown eyes (and is really tall).

There is four of us that transferred out of Erudite. Two girls (me included) and two guys. The first guy is small and has red hair and brown eyes and the other guy has auburn hair and grey eyes, his arms look defined but he has a desperate look on his face that makes me think he is regretting his choice to transfer out of our old faction. The girl has honey blonde hair and hazel eyes.

There are two Amity transfers, a guy and a girl. The way they are clinging to each other makes me think they are either best friends or boyfriend and girlfriend. He has platinum blonde hair and blue eyes and she has copper hair and sapphire blue eyes.

The last two people in our group are both Abnegation. It is another guy and girl. The guy has brown hair and green eyes and the girl has red hair and moss green eyes. It is odd there is Amity and Abnegation in our group. Those are the two least likely factions to transfer to Dauntless.

We have reached the railing and Four has to shout for us to hear him.

"Alright transfers! This is the Chasm. The Chasm is here to remind us the difference between courage and stupidity! A jump off this bridge to impress a girl will end your life! It has happened before and I am willing to say there will be more that jump! You have been warned!" I look over the ledge. The water is fast-moving and pushes at the walls of the tunnels with an angry, unstoppable ferocity.

The floor here drops off at an angle and even though it is pretty far down, the spray from the water still hits my face. I look at the other side. The water is a bit calmer but no less ferocious.

"Amazing." I whisper, entranced by the strength of the river.

"You gonna jump?" Eric's voice is rough and sends a shiver down my spine. I jump and whirl around to face him.

"So what if I am?" I ask, jutting my chin out defiantly. He smirks.

"Go right ahead, one less transfer for me to worry about." I glare at him before pushing past (ignore the thrill I feel at his muscles) and rejoin the other transfers. Four's gaze lingers on me for a second before flicking to Eric. I notice his jaw tighten before he starts speaking again.

"Follow me to your new quarters." A smirk flits across his mouth for a second before he leads us to a huge hole in the wall with a large door set in it. Four leaves without another word and Eric smirks.

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," he says. "I am one of five leaders of the Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training. Some ground rules, you have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. You will also get so me time off between each stage of initiation. You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless," Eric adds.

The thought of having to ask someone to go somewhere makes me bristle. Eric's smirk lets me know he caught that.

"Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks. You will notice that there are 9 beds and 11 of you. We anticipated that a smaller proportion of you would make it this far." He pauses but no one dares to interrupt. Satisfaction gleams in his eyes and I grit my teeth.

"In the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, your rankings will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they are better than you are already. So I expect—"

"Rankings?" The Candor male sounds angry. "Why are we ranked?"

Eric smiles, and in the blue light, his smile looks wicked, like it was cut into his face with a knife. "Your ranking serves two purposes, the first is that it determines the order in which you will select a job after initiation. There are only a few desirable positions available. The second purpose," he pauses and a wicked glint enters his eyes, "is that only the top fourteen initiates are made members."

"What?" The male Amity squeaks out. Eric grins.

"I wouldn't be so sad if I were you. It used to be the top 10 but since we have a higher number of initiates this year, there will be 14 of you making it through."

A wave of nausia makes me wince. I look around. That means 10 of us will be going home. That is almost half of the initiates together. I look around and I have no doubt that the majority of us will be cut.

"There are 13 Dauntless-borns, and 11 of you," Eric continues. "Four initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final test."

"What do we do if we're cut?" The blonde Erudite girl asks.

"You leave the Dauntless compound," says Eric indifferently, "and live factionless." This reders us so silent and nervous. I notice the two Amity's moving away from each other and I roll my eyes. The competition hasn't even begun and I can already tell what people I would not want to have as a friend.

"But that's horrible!" Brown haired-brown eyed Candor girl shouts. Even though she sound s angry, she looks terrified. "If I had known about this, I would have—"

"You would have what?" Eric looks deadly. "Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" Eric snaps. "Be cause if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward." Eric pushes the door to the dormitory open angrily.

"You picked us," he says. "Now we have to pick you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary: **Pazia has grown up in Erudite. That is where her father is...that is where her past is. But that doesn't matter, what matters is where her future is. Pazia thought for sure, 100% she was going to stay in Erudite...her aptitude test told her differently. Then she has to choose. Will she stay? Will she leave? Erudite is cold and clinical and Dauntless? Well, the only way to describe Dauntless is wild and fierce, like a raging fire that cannot be stopped. Pazia made her choice, and now she has left the ice and jumped straight into the fire. The only thing now to do...is be free.

A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own the Divergent world. I only own Pazia. (Pronounced: Pah-ze-ah.)

**_Rating:_** _M_

**_Word_**_** Count:** 3__,934_

Reviews are always appreciated!

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A/N: Holy crap on a cracker you guys! 8 new follows/favs! That is an unprecidented incident for me! I am going to go ahead and guess you love this story and want me to update as fast as possible? Ok! Please just keep in mind I do have 8 other stories on this site that I need to work on. That being said, I love you guys! Keep reading and Reviewing!

**Chapter Four**

* * *

_**Previously on Battle Scars:**_

_"What do we do if we're cut?" The blonde Erudite girl asks._

_"You leave the Dauntless compound," says Eric indifferently, "and live factionless." This reders us so silent and nervous. I notice the two Amity's moving away from each other and I roll my eyes. The competition hasn't even begun and I can already tell what people I would not want to have as a friend._

_"But that's horrible!" Brown haired-brown eyed Candor girl shouts. Even though she sound s angry, she looks terrified. "If I had known about this, I would have—"_

_"You would have what?" Eric looks deadly. "Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" Eric snaps. "Be cause if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward." Eric pushes the door to the dormitory open angrily._

_"You picked us," he says. "Now we have to pick you."_

* * *

We all stare at Eric. No one makes a move to go past him. I roll my eyes, square my shoulders and stalk forward, a blank look on my face. I brush past him and into the room. I stop in the middle of the room and survey it.

The walls are a dark grey, made out of the same rough grey stone as the tunnels. There are 9 beds spread in the room. The beds have a thin mattress, a pillow and a blanket.

The floors are stone and I know that in the mornings my feet will probably freeze. Under each bed is a single drawer. Right across from the door on the wall hangs a blank sheet of glass. I briefly wonder what it is there for but I toss it out of my mind.

Curiosity is a Erudite trait.

I pick the bed in the right corner that is farthest from the door. From here I will be able to keep my back to the wall and see everyone, including the door. I don't want any surprises.

There is a thin space between the wall and the bed and if I wanted to, I bet I could slide in there. I make a mental note to push my bed against the wall.

Behind me, I hear the rest of the initiates file into the room. I sit down on my chosen bed, letting everyone know that it is the one I will use.

"Since there is only 9 beds, 4 of you will have to share. Choose now." I look up and watch as the other initiates awkwardly look at each other.

Nobody wants to share a bed with a stranger. Finally the 2 Amity transfers decide to share a bed and the 2 Abnegation transfers decide to share.

From the looks of their flaming red cheeks, I am willing to bet they only offered to share because their Abnegation selflessness kicked in. I don't really care though. As long as I don't have to share, I will be fine.

"Note that on each of your beds is clothing. You will go into the bathroom and change. When you come out, you will burn your old clothes." We all watch him and he scowls and crosses his arms again. "What are you waiting for?!"

Everyone jumps and grabs their clothes and rushes for the bathroom. I quickly unhook the bag and drop it in the space between my bed and the wall before joining them.

I walk into the bathroom and stare. Once again, the walls are grey (shocker) and un-decorated. There are stalls lining the walls and a drain in the middle of the room where the water drains out.

The stalls don't have doors or any type of covering. Against another wall, there is a line of mirrors and sinks for us to use. I cock my head to the side and stare. I really don't want to guess-

"As you can see, this is a co-ed bathroom. Deal with it!" I stiffen as Eric's voice comes from directly behind me. Warmth radiates off of him and a tremor goes down my spine as goosebumps break out on my skin. Eric chuckles behind me and I suppress a scowl.

"Get dressed Stiff, we wouldn't want you to miss anything." Eric murmurs in my ear and I force myself to bite the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from saying anything too insulting to him. I turn and give him a short, sharp nod before he surveys me up and down with a smirk on his face as he leaves.

* * *

After I finish washing, I hurriedly get dressed. Under my cool façade my cheeks are burning with an angry blush. To be forced to take shower in a room full of guys is unnecessarily crude.

I pull on a pair of black pants, a long sleeve black shirt and a black jacket. I run my fingers through my hair before I pull it up in a simple ponytail. I join the others as they leave the room and walk past Eric without looking at him. Without a word, he strides to the front of the group and leads us back to the Pit.

The entrance to the Dining Hall is a gaping hole through the wall in the Pit. It's well lit and lined with tables. When we enter the room, the Dauntless inside explode in a frenzy of clapping and shouting. I smile a little at the warm welcome.

Eric leads us to the back of the room and we get in line. We all pick up a tray and shuffle in the line to pick what food we want. I get a hamburger, some corn, a slice of chocolate cake and grab a bottle labeled 'Apple Juice.' I look around to see where I should sit. I suddenly see Zander, Josh, Sasha, Dean and Izzy sitting at a table.

Without a second thought, I walk over and join them. When I set down my tray, Zander looks up and grins.

"Lookin' good Paz!" I smirk and nod at him.

"Same for you...oh wait. No, you look the same."

"Oh, snap!" Izzy shouts and Dean laughs. I pick up my burger and take a big bite. As the rich flavors fall on my tongue, I look up and even from across the room my eyes automatically meet Eric's hard blue eyes.

* * *

After dinner, Eric silently leads us back to the dorm before disappearing. I quickly slip under the covers and lay in bed. The lights flick off and for a few seconds it is dead silent. Then rustling betrays shifting in bed.

Someone sighs and I roll so my back is to the wall. I reach down and grab my bag. I pull it open and I don't need a light to know what the first item I touch is.

A simple silver chain slides over my fingers and I gently touch the pendent. It is a phoenix. The phoenix is silver and the design is immaculate. The details on it are incredible.

The phoenix's wings are spread and it conveys a feeling of a fierce, wild and un-tamable spirit. That is what I want to be. The necklace used to belong to my mom. It is the only thing I have of her aside from a picture.

That is the second item I pull out. The third and final item I pull out of my bag is a small frame with a background of flames. Engraved in silver words is the saying, "Take every chance. Drop every fear."

Jett gave it to me before he left. These three items mean the world to me. It is why I risked everything to bring them with me. I couldn't leave them behind.

I wonder if I will get to see him soon. I hope I get to see him soon.

I gently tuck the items back into the bag and shove it down and under the bed. I will have to wait a little while before I can start to wear the necklace. I don't want to raise suspicion.

I lay back and listen to the 10 other initiates breathing around me. Faster breathing lets me know there are some of us that are either crying or are about to cry. Then the worst thing happens. A loud sob a few beds over breaks the silence. I freeze. A part of me wants to get up and go over there but the larger part of me keeps me glued to my bed.

I clasp my hands to my ears and squeeze until I can't hear them crying anymore.

It is a while before I fall asleep.

* * *

I wake with a start and take deep breaths to calm my racing heart. I look around, everyone is still asleep. I quickly grab my clothes and creep to the bathroom. I take a quick shower and run my fingers through my hair, wishing I had a brush before I throw it into a ponytail. I get dressed and quietly leave the room. I head down to the Dining Hall, my Erudite brain remembering the way without a problem.

When I enter the room, I look around. There isn't a lot of Dauntless that are up right now. A small but tough looking group in the corner glances up before going back to their discussion. I get a tray and put some food on before I sit down. I quickly eat and sit while I wait for the rest of the initiates get to the Dining Hall. It is a while before anyone else gets up.

After they finish eating, Four shows up and leads us to the roof. As we stand in the chilly wind, I am glad I have my jacket on.

"Alright initiates! Listen up because I will not repeat myself! The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun. The second thing is how to win a fight." Four looks at me a second before holds out a gun to me. I take it, unprepared for the weight of it. The gun is completely black and cold in my hand. I stare down at the gun and wonder if I could shoot someone with it.

"Initiation is divided in to three stages. We will measure your progress and rank you according to your performance in each stage. The stages are not weighed equally in determining your final rank, so it is possible, though difficult, to drastically improve your rank over time."

The chill of the gun seeps into my hands and I shiver. This gun feels dangerous. It scares me a little to be holding so much power in my hand. If I shoot in the wrong direction I could eliminate one of us. I shove the thought away before I can look at the ruthless side of myself. The side that poisoned the lady in when I had the serum.

"We believe that preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear. Therefore each stage of initiation is intended to prepare you in a different way. The first stage is primarily physical; the second, primarily emotional; the third, primarily mental."

"How are we proving our bravery by firing a gun?" The Amity boy pipes up. I roll my eyes. Clearly the Dauntless are the protectors of life as we know it. We need to be able to defend ourselves if something happens. Clearly he was never meant for Erudite.

Four stalks over to the guy and gets right in his face.

"What does firing a gun have to do with bravery." He mocks and the guy flushes red. "Are you kidding me right now? We are the protectors of our city. If something happens and you need to protect yourself, what are you going to do? Huh? You gonna run away? Or are you going to stand and fight?! We are Dauntless! We are brave! So you better get that into your head before you get cut." Four hisses before whirling away.

"Watch me. I am going to show you how to fire a gun. I will only show this once." He faces the wall with the targets on it—one square of plywood with three red circles on it for each of us. He stands with his feet apart, holds the gun in both hands, lowers his head, and fires. The bang is so loud it hurts my ears.

I stare at the target. There is a single round hole in the center of the target. I clench my jaw, raise my gun, spread my legs shoulder-width apart, duck my head and fire.

The recoil knocks me back a step, regardless of the fact I had tensed up. My shoulders starts to ache and my hands sting. My ears are ringing from the bang of the gun but all I care about is the target. I didn't hit it. My board is perfect without a single mar. I flush and a heat starts in my veins. I clench my jaw and try again.

The same fucking result.

I shoot and shoot and by the end of the lesson, all I have managed to do is clip the edge of the board. Anger pulses through my veins as I set the gun down and whirl around. I pull up short as my eyes meet the amused blue ones of Eric. He is leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. I narrow my eyes and stalk past him, my steps short and sharp with anger.

The other initiates eye me warily but the other girl that transferred out of Erudite with me sneers mockingly. I stop and harden my glare towards her and flex my hands. An anger is burning in me and I don't know what I would have done if Eric hadn't spoken up.

"Alright Initiates. That was your first lesson. Go and eat and then report to the Arena. Four will lead you there." I lower my head, Erudite mask coming over me. It wouldn't do for me to have any enemies so soon in the game. I will have to hide my anger and control it.

When we get to the Dining Hall, I eagerly look around for Zander, Izzy, Sasha, Dean and Josh. My face falls when I realize they aren't there. I grab a tray, some food and sit down by myself. In a few seconds, I am surrounded by the rest of the Initiates gushing about their gun experience. My scowl sets in as my anger starts showing again.

I finish eating and get up. I ignore the questions of the rest of the initiates as I stalk out of the room. I head to the dorm room and shut it behind me. I reach behind the bed and pull out the necklace. I really need to get a better grip on myself. I take a deep breath and put it back before pulling out the picture of my mom.

She has the same hair I have. The long black locks. I smile as I trace her face with my finger. I have to make her proud. I put the picture back and go back to Dining Hall. I get there just as the rest of the Initiates are starting to leave. Eric stares at me for a second before whispering something to Four and leaving.

Without a word, Four leads us down a darker, unfamiliar tunnel. When we enter the room, the first thing I notice is how big it is. The room is huge. I could fit my house in it 2 times and still have room left over. The wooden floor creaks under our feet as we walk to the large circle painted in the middle of the floor. I look over and notice on the left wall is another sheet of clear glass hanging on the wall.

With a chill, I realize all of our names are written on the wall in alphabetical order. I look away and notice faded black punching bags placed about 3 feet apart. Four directs us to stand behind them before giving us more instructions.

"As I said this morning, next you will learn how to fight. The purpose of this is to prepare you to act; to prepare your body to respond to threats and challenges —which you will need, if you intend to survive life as a Dauntless. We will go over technique today, and tomorrow you will start to fight each other. So it would be a good idea for you to learn fast. No screwing around. Those who don't learn fast will get hurt." Four names a few different punches, demonstrating each one as he does, first against the air and then against the punching bag.

As he is showing us, I practice against the bag. I will not loose tomorrow.

When Four teaches us how to do the leg kicks, it feels easier for me to do. And when I kick the bag, I can actually get it to move. By the end of the lesson, I am feeling slightly optimistic. When I get to the Dining Hall, the feeling only increases as I see Izzy and the others waiting for me.

"Sup, 'Zia?" Izzy asks me, a bright, giddy grin on her face. I laugh and plop down beside her.

"I suck at shooting a gun but on the plus side, my legs hold an awesome power." I say dramatically. There is a pause before Zander starts to scoot away from me.

"Zander!" I cry and hit him in the arm. Izzy and Sasha start to snicker as he mock-winces.

"Ow!" He pretends to be hurt and I try to give him a stern glare but my lips twitch into a grin as he tosses an arm over my shoulder.

"So how was your guy's first day?" Dean groans.

"My arms fucking ache." I frown.

"Don't you guys already know this stuff?" Sasha shakes her head.

"We know it but the 16 year olds and under are not allowed to handle a gun until they have chosen their faction. They don't want us doing anything too stupid." She shakes her head and rolls her eyes and I snort.

"Cute." Dean barks a laugh and I grin at him. "Tomorrow we are going to be fighting." I announce and they nod.

"Us too." Izzy says through a mouth full of hot dog.

"Gross!" I wrinkle my nose at her and she throws a roll at me. I duck laughing and a startled shout behind us makes us burst out in giggles. Zander glances over my shoulder and laughs.

"Nice Izzy! You hit Dickward!" I stare at him for a second before I burst out laughing.

"Oh my goodness! Dickward? That isn't really his name?" I say, doubt in my tone.

"Nah, but he is such a dick that is what we call him." Josh says. I glance back at the Dauntless born initiate with red and black hair and turn back to them.

"So what's his real name?" Izzy grins.

"It's Howard." I laugh.

"Wow! I bet he is grateful you changed his name! I would hate to have that name." Sasha laughs.

"I know right? That's what I said!" She says and I grin at her and we bump fists.

"We are Soul Sisters!" I laugh and she nods her head.

"Alright! Let's hurry this up! We gotta go do something!" Dean bursts out and we laugh before finishing our food and leaving.

We laugh and race each other up the perilous paths, daring each other to be riskier. I grin and race along with them, the thrill sweeping me along. We get to a clothing shop and split from the guys.

Izzy and Sasha shove clothes at me so I shove some at them before we giggle and move on. When we leave, we all have a couple of bags and are points cheaper. Every Dauntless gets a certain amount of points to spend per month, and I ended up letting Sash and Iz convince me to spend some of them. We meet up with the guys and head to the tattoo parlor.

Izzy decides to get a tattoo of a tiger roaring with its claws out on her shoulder and Sasha is getting a tattoo of a sun on her lower back. The guys are only with us because they want to see the tattoos when they are finished.

"Are you gonna get one?" Zander asks and I shake my head.

"Nope. Not until I have a reason to celebrate." Zander nods and we go see the finished tattoos.

"Does it hurt?" I ask Izzy and she shakes her head.

"Nope. It actually feels like I am getting drunk." I giggle as we leave. Instead of partying in the Pit, we decide to go mess around in the Arena. Only when we get there, Eric is in there.

We stand silently at the door and watch as he pounds away at a bag. The bag is violently swinging on the chain and it wouldn't surprise me if it snapped. We share looks before we slowly back away and leave.

"That was..." Josh trails off and we share another silent look before splitting up and going our own way. I go to the dorms and shower since no one is in there. After I get out, I pull out my toothbrush and brush my teeth before getting into my pajamas and climbing into bed. I reach down and gently touch my mom's picture before I close my eyes and go to sleep.


End file.
